Hard ceiling tool

ABSTRACT

A wire bending ceiling tool for cutting, bending and tying metal hanger wires such as those used for hanging false ceilings in buildings. The tool includes a pair of handles connected to a jaw having gripping members for holding a wire to be bent. One gripping member is a block to bend the wire around. The other gripping member is a surface to which a third handle is pivotally mounted. The third handle has a wire guide which guides the wire around three corners of the bending block to bend the wire into two right angles and a 45 degree angle when the third handle is pivoted creating a saddle to carry the channel beams, and which guides the wire around a corner of the bending block to bend the wire into one 90 degree angle when the third handle is pivoted creating a hook to attach to a main runner, an anchor or embed in concrete. The third handle detaches converting into a tying handle for tying a wire. The tying handle includes a wire guide operating in coordination with a hole for tying a hanger wire. Wire cutting edges located on the jaws cut a hanger wire when the gripping handles are squeezed together. Simultaneously pulling the third handle assists the wire cutting edges to cut the wire. The jaw hinge includes an indexed scale to determine proper bend location for the desired ceiling height.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable.

REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a wireworking implement used for shaping lengths of wire by bending, crimping and looping, with such shaped lengths of wire used for hanging false ceilings in high-rise building construction.

Various devices are known for bending strap and wires as exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,091,845, 3,662,580, 3,604,244 and 1,316,257; however, none of these appear of similar design and geometry, nor do they appear suitable to correctly perform the below desired functions. As an example, the device exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,845 does not include a removable tying handle for tying a wire.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a novel wire bending ceiling tool adapted to determine appropriate bend location on a suspended false ceiling hanger wire relative to desired ceiling height; and adapted to determine appropriate bend location on a suspended false ceiling hanger wire relative to finish line, split line or iron line; and adapted to grip and bend the free end of the wire to attach to the false ceiling frame; and adapted to grip and tie the free end of the wire to the false ceiling frame; and adapted to grip and bend the wire to attach to an anchor or embed in concrete; and adapted to be lightweight, easily used and easily carried by hand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The drawings constitute a part of the specification and include an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features of the ceiling tool.

FIG. 1 is a broken perspective view from above a suspended ceiling showing a 4 foot by 4 foot grid of elongated metal hanger wires supporting a suspended ceiling frame;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the ceiling tool;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the ceiling tool from the opposite side as FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the ceiling tool separated into the wire gripping assembly and the “Spin Off” type removable tying handle;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the ceiling tool separated into the wire gripping assembly and the “Thumbscrew” type removable tying handle;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the bending arm pivot stud;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the ceiling tool when folded compactly to carry;

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the ceiling tool while cutting a hanger wire;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the ceiling tool while gripping a wire;

FIG. 10 is a side view of the ceiling tool while bending a hanger wire;

FIG. 11 is a side view of the removable tying handle while tying a hanger wire;

FIG. 12 is a top view of the ceiling tool while gripping a wire;

FIG. 13 is a side view of the ceiling tool while bending a hanger wire to attach to an anchor or embed in concrete.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a novel wire bending ceiling tool adapted to determine appropriate bend location on a suspended false ceiling hanger wire relative to desired ceiling height; and adapted to determine appropriate bend location on a suspended false ceiling hanger wire relative to finish line, split line or iron line; and adapted to grip and bend the free end of the wire to attach to the false ceiling frame; and adapted to grip and tie the free end of the wire to the false ceiling frame; and adapted to grip and bend the wire to attach to an anchor or embed in concrete; and adapted to be lightweight, easily carried and used with one hand.

In building construction and renovation, elongated vertical wires with free ends are commonly used as hangers to support a frame for the installation of false ceilings. Such false ceilings are often suspended below the successive floor structures in modern multiple story commercial buildings to cover exposed utility and heating conduits. False ceilings may also be relied upon to lower high ceilings for aesthetic purposes or to meet building fire code in older buildings. Metal lath for plastering operations, plasterboard or drywall may be secured to the frame to form the completed installation.

The frame used for hanging such false ceilings normally consists of a series of elongated channel beams having a 1½ inch web and ½ inch flanges. The channel beams are installed on their flanged sides with webs vertically directed. Metal furring strips to which the metal lath for plastering operations, plasterboard or drywall is secured to the channel beams. The upper end of the hanger wire is suitably anchored to the “true” ceiling and the lower end wrapped securely around and tied to one of the channel beams to suspend the beam from the “true” ceiling. For installation that meets or exceeds current seismic codes, the wire must be bent in a precisely located square angled U-shape with dual right angles, forming a saddle shaped holder in which the beam is subsequently positioned at the appropriate height, commonly referred in the construction trades as “splitline” and a third precisely located sharp angle in preparation of the following wire tying. The free end of the wire is then wrapped around the attached suspended wire, looped around the channel beam again then brought upwardly and twisted around the attached suspended wire forming a distinctive tie commonly known in the trade as a “saddle tie.” 

1. A wire bending device comprising: (a) a pair of coordinating, pivotally mounted, elongated gripping handles operably connected to a pair of jaws with attached gripping members, said gripping members moving in response to movement of the gripping handles to grip a wire to be formed; (b) one gripping member having at least three right angle corners with wire position locating flat facing portions extending therebetween, a first corner being at an outlet extending from between the gripping members and a second corner being proximately located from the first corner and spaced therefrom by a facing portion and a third corner being proximately located from the second corner and spaced therefrom by a facing portion; and (c) a third coordinating bending handle pivotally mounted on the other gripping member by an axial connection means positioned on a line extending generally normally between the first and second and third corners, said bending handle having a wire guide extended therefrom at a point proximately located and generally equidistant to the first and second and third corners when the bending handle is pivoted whereby a pair of precisely spaced right angle bends with a straight portion therebetween and a third precisely spaced 45 degree bend with a straight portion therebetween may be formed in a wire at a selected position determined by the facing portions.
 2. A wire bending device as in claim 1 wherein one gripping member preferably has a distance slightly greater than ½ inch between the first and second corner and has a distance slightly greater than 1½ inch between the second and third corner, although other sizes may be used as needed.
 3. A wire bending device as in claim one wherein the bending handle detaches to convert into a tying handle for tying a hanger wire.
 4. A wire bending device as in claim 1 wherein the tying handle includes a wire tying hole for tying a hanger wire.
 5. A wire bending device as in claim 1 wherein the tying handle includes a wire guide operating in coordination with a wire tying hole for tying a hanger wire.
 6. A wire bending device as in claim 1 wherein the jaws include wire cutting edges to easily cut a hanger wire when the gripping handles are squeezed.
 7. A wire bending device as in claim 1 wherein the bending handle coordinates with the wire cutting edges located on the jaws to easily cut a wire.
 8. A wire bending device as in claim 1 wherein the jaw hinge includes an indexed scale to determine proper bend location in reference to a predetermined ceiling height.
 9. A wire bending device as in claim 1 that bends a hook in a hanger wire to attach to a main runner, an anchor or embed in concrete.
 10. A wire bending device as in claim 1 that ties a hanger wire to an anchor attached to the “true” ceiling.
 11. A wire bending device as in claim 1 that bends a hanger wire to embed in concrete.
 12. A wire bending device as in claim 1 that bends and ties a hanger wire to embed in concrete.
 13. A wire bending device as in claim 1 wherein one gripping member preferably has a distance slightly greater than ½ inch between the first and second corner and has a distance slightly greater than 1½ inch between the second and third corner, although other sizes may be used as needed; wherein the bending handle detaches to convert into a tying handle for tying a hanger wire; wherein the tying handle includes a wire tying hole for tying a hanger wire; wherein the jaws include wire cutting edges to easily cut a hanger wire when the gripping handles are squeezed; wherein the bending handle coordinates with the wire cutting edges located on the jaws to easily cut a wire; wherein the jaw hinge includes an indexed scale to determine proper bend location in reference to a predetermined ceiling height; that bends a hook in a hanger wire to attach to an anchor or embed in concrete; and that ties a hanger wire to an anchor. 